Sonali Bendre on returning to acting with The Broken News: Was scared because so much time had passed in between

Sonali Bendre's most recent acting experience was in the TV drama Ajeeb Daastaan Hai Ye, and she has appeared in various reality shows. The actor is returning to acting in The Broken News after seven years after a successful battle with cancer. 

During an interaction with Mid Day, when asked how it feels to bring a role back to life after such a long time, Bendre puts it succinctly, stating that she was afraid because so much time had passed in between. People compare it to riding a bike in that one never forgets it. The actor was frightened, but the exhilaration of getting back to doing what she enjoyed the most drew me out.

The actor plays a prime time anchor in the ZEE5 newsroom drama. Bendre said yes to the character right away. She described her character as a powerful woman. She raises important questions, such as where we draw the line between right and wrong, and whether everything is black and white.

In recent years, the content landscape and language have changed. Bendre, who has been in show business since the 1990s, welcomes the shift. The actor really likes how the settings have evolved. Except for the female actors, the hairdresser and stylist were the only women on set previously. On the set now, she notices feminine energy and the teams are well-mannered.

Bendre began her preparation for the role weeks before the series premiered, alongside Jaideep Ahlawat and Shriya Pilgaonkar. She confesses that it was a difficult effort. 

The actor had mental fog as a result of her treatment. So she was concerned that she might forget her lines. The actor used to be able to recall an entire page of dialogue, but not anymore. So she went back to recalling lines as soon as possible. During her sickness, Sonali learned that asking for aid is not a sign of weakness. The actor hired a coach and spent weeks getting to know her character, Amina, sketching out her backstory and future plans. Because of the time spent on them, the lines gained additional subtlety and significance.

The portrayal of the media in films and popular culture has come under fire in recent years. On being quizzed on how they kept the newsroom drama authentic, Bendre concluded by saying that how the characters are written affects their authenticity. They haven't judged anyone or sensationalised anything on their show. They have been true to the facts.